Gustavo Alfaro extends as Paraguay head coach until 2030 | OneFootball

Gustavo Alfaro has extended his tenure as Paraguay head coach through to the 2030 World Cup after leading the side at the 2026 finals.

Paraguay upset Germany in the round of 32, drawing 1-1 after extra time before winning 4-3 on penalties, then lost 1-0 to France in the last 16. The Paraguayan federation’s president, Robert Harrison, said in an Instagram post that the road to 2030 begins, sharing a photo with the 64-year-old holding a national team shirt bearing Alfaro’s name and the tournament’s centenary year. Paraguay is scheduled to host a group-stage match at that tournament.

Appointed in 2024, the Argentine oversaw the Albirroja’s first World Cup appearance in 16 years this summer.

Alfaro, who calls himself a hunter of utopias, defended his side’s combative approach in that bruising last-16 tie.

After the France game, he downplayed on-field flashpoints, saying such frictions are part of football, that there was no animosity and that he had asked his players to stay calm. He added that he later congratulated the French squad on their campaign and wished them well.

Didier Deschamps had criticised behaviour from the opposite bench, alleging insults from Paraguay’s staff during the tournament, including references to his mother’s death. Alfaro firmly denied that, stressing his respect for Deschamps, rejecting such conduct from his staff and saying it would be unacceptable in any circumstance.

Source: L'Équipe

“Artificial intelligence was used to assist in creating this article based on reporting from the original source quoted.”